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Affordable Prices for Essential Medicines for Developing Countries: Some Economic Issues
Author(s) -
Katrak Homi
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
development policy review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.671
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1467-7679
pISSN - 0950-6764
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-7679.2004.00251.x
Subject(s) - developing country , government (linguistics) , business , public economics , competition (biology) , essential medicines , action (physics) , economics , economic policy , economic growth , health care , ecology , linguistics , philosophy , physics , quantum mechanics , biology
This article discusses some recent developments that may help bring about more affordable prices of essential medicines for developing countries. Governments of developing countries should support campaigns for such prices. Generic competition will also bring gains, though these may differ between different income groups. Enterprises could be persuaded to provide free, or subsidised, medicines for their employees, by the expenditures being allowed against liabilities for profits tax. The UN Global Fund could complement the efforts of public action groups, enhance a government's fiscal capabilities and also encourage other measures to reduce the costs of providing medicines.